Parkinson's disease (PD) negatively affects the quality of life for a million individuals in the United States. While medication and surgery are the most effective treatments for PD, physicians and people with PD often delay using these treatments because of their considerable adverse side effects. Until a cure for PD is discovered, there is a compelling need to develop interventions that provide relief of symptoms without causing negative side effects. Recent research suggests that exercise may provide symptom relief in some characteristics of PD. While various exercise interventions appear to effectively improve motor, functional, and quality-of-life issues, the research is mixed regarding the nature, extent and duration of these improvements. Understanding how multiple characteristics of PD change and whether they can be modified by different exercise programs is essential to determining if an exercise program is clinically effective for PD. This study is designed to compare the initial (six months), and then long-term (2 years) effect that 2 different exercise programs (progressive resistance program or flexibility program) have on neuro-physiological, motor, functional, and quality-of-life issues in individuals with Parkinson's disease. The goal is to determine which program is most beneficial. Results from this study will be used to determine which exercise program produces the most beneficial effects on neuro-physiological, motor, functional and quality-of-life measures. NOTE: Recruitment for Parkinson's disease participants is now closed.
Inclusion Criteria: - a diagnosis of PD - Up to the age of 67 - on at least 1 DA drug, may be on several PD medications - able to walk for six minutes (may take rest breaks) - able to come off their PD medication for testing (12 hour overnight withdrawal of antiparkinsonian medications) - able to stay on stable PD medications for at least 6 months - live within a 30 mile radius of Chicago - Hoehn and Yahr Score: II - III while in the "Off" PD medication state Exclusion Criteria: - history of any other neurological disorder as determined by medical history and neurological exam - history of a known injury, disease, or other disorder that might interfere with motor function in the proposed experiments - a score less than 23 on the Mini-Mental State Examination - currently involved in an active, ongoing formal exercise program deep brain stimulation surgery - known cardiac problem or significant hypertension - depression that may interfere with regular exercise - hallucinations or being treated for hallucinations